Add the closure flap by securing the end 4-1/8″ piece to the back of the notepad cardstock and then wrap it around & secure it to the front of the notepad. You should have a 3/4″ flap left that you can attach magnets to for securing it tight.

The leaves behind the flower are from Kinda Eclectic and I once again used burlap to tie it all together. I love the extra texture that adding even a small piece of burlap ribbon adds. The sentiment is from the hostess only set Happy Birthday, Everyone.

The final project was a birthday card inspired by a new challenge blog – Pinterest Inspired Challenge. Stop by and have a look at the entries so far – lots of inspiration just in the cards that have been put forward!!!

This is the inspiration photo:

And this is the card the ladies made:

The splatters in the Perpetual Birthday Calendar stamp set provided the perfect option for creating our own DSP-esque background. The birthday sentiment is from the Tin of Cards stamp set. I realised after making this card that I’d actually used 2 “kit stamp sets” – they are great for more than just making up the kits.

This shadow box is super simple, very easy & a big wow! You can decorate the ‘box’ however you like. The scoring on each end makes it stand up for display, but it squashes flat for putting into an envelope.

Did you know that the two sets of butterfly framelits/thinlits coordinate with each other, giving you an intricate butterfly and a solid butterfly in the same size. This is the small size.

I adapted Dawn’s measurements to suit Australian card front size.

To make a shadow box:

Cut two pieces of cardstock 4-1/8″ x 5-7/8″ (I also cut a piece of DSP slightly smaller than the back piece – 4″x 5-3/4″ and adhered it to the back piece before scoring)

Score each piece of cardstock 1/2″ & 1″ from each short side

Cut a shape from the middle of the front piece of cardstock using a framelit of your choice (I used a circle)

Fold your front & back pieces so they sit out from the middle (Dawn’s video shows this well)

Using a strong adhesive such as Fast Fuse, stick together the ends of the card

Decorate using your favourite SU! products.

I hope you’ll make one of these cards. They were amazingly easy and look magnificent! If you’ve got some time to craft today, you may also want to play along with JAI 272. Butterflies are very popular right now and make a great theme for cards. Kelly x

Yes, I’m a paper addict, but you have to agree with me, the DSP in the new catalogue is truly divine.

From the bold striking colours in Bohemian to the gorgeous patterns in English Garden to the funky animal prints in Go Wild – there’s something for every card you’ll need to make this year (even a Christmas one!).

Of course, it’s a big outlay to buy every DSP. So, I’m offering a paper share. You can own a 6×6 piece of every DSP for just $50 (excluses Typeset). Or the main collection for $38 or the colour collection for $12.50.

My DSP share is open to anyone in Australia and ends today. If you ticked the ‘yes please’ box at my catalogue launch, you should have received an email from me with payment details. Only shares that have been paid for by the end of today will be ordered.

I have an enemy… one that I am sure many of you are familiar with … {TIME}.

My brain is scheming & dreaming for a good portion of the time I’m awake. I’m thinking up activities I’d like to do with the kids, of things I’d like to make at the craft table, of phone calls I’d like to have with friends, time spent with loved ones … If I did half the things I imagined, I’d have very happy kids, friends and family! But alas, with a very busy life and oh-so-much to fit in, time is my enemy.

I struggle to fit in the basics of life and then have to cram the extras on top. But it’s so important to shift things around and make the extras happen because they are the icing. And we all know the icing is the best part!

This birthday set for a friend has been rolling around my creative imagination for the past 2 weeks, but its taken me this long to make it a reality. I’m truly in love with the Watercolor Wings bundle. The different layers of the butterfly are magical and if you haven’t already noticed, the previous Butterflies Thinlits set coordinates with the new stamp set & framelits. It’s all so wonderful!

The source of my layout & colour inspiration this week was JAI 266 for their colour combo:

There are sooooo many lovely products in Occasions 2015 – it’s hard to choose a favourite (much like choosing a favourite child I think!). But based on my Pinterest feed, the Butterfly Basics stamp set & Butterfly framelits have definitely been popular.

There has been lots of discussion & sharing for tips that help with getting great butterfly die cuts. My favourite two are:

3 layers of waxed paper – under the cardstock, between the cardstock & the die and on top of the die

using dryer sheets under the cardstock. I hear fragrance free dryer sheets are hard to get in Australia (try shops or online companies that import US products as they are popular in the US), but these are supposed to work much better than the fragrance filled ones available (though both will work).

This was the first card I made using my butterfly bundle. The stamp set style is quite ‘shabby chic’, so perfect for layering.

And this is my ‘how did I miss that moment’… Stampin’ Up! sells a beautiful product called Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz. It’s not new … but I have only just added it to my collection. A couple of little sprays gives your card a wonderful, magical shimmer – perfect! It gives the butterfly a little bit of extra “wow”! Anyway, I have it now (and have everything crossed that it’s carrying over to the next catalogue), so will smooching & spritzing my way through 2015! Kelly x